California Biographies
Source:
History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California
by: C M Gidney - Santa Barbara. Benjamin Brooks - San Luis Obispo.
Edwin M Sheridan - Ventura
Volumes II - Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, ILL., 1917
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
AUSTIN F. PARSONS has been continuously a resident of San Luis Obispo for over forty years,
and is widely known among the people of that city and county. For many years he was active in
educational affairs, and for the past fifteen years has held the office of county surveyor.
Mr. Parsons is a native of Ohio, born May 21, 1853, a son of Lucius P. and L. (Land) Parsons. His
father was born at Westhampton, Massachusetts, and died twenty years ago, was an early
settler in Ohio and spent his active career as a farmer. The mother was also a native of
Massachusetts was born in 1815 and lived to be more than ninety years of age, passing away in
1906.
Austin F. Parsons had his early training and youthful experience in Ohio, attended common
school there, and finished his education in Hiram College, an institution of which President
Garfield was at one time the head. He taught school in Ohio for a couple of years, but in 1876
came West to California and has lived in San Luis Obispo County ever since. He was active in
school work for over twenty-five years, and a host of men and women now in middle life recall
their associations with him as both pleasant and profitable.
Mr. Parsons gave up school work when he was elected in 1902 as county surveyor. He has been
reelected to that office ever since. He possesses thorough capabilities for the post of civil
engineer and surveyor, and a vast volume of important public works have been carried out
through plans and under conditions prescribed by him in his official capacity. Many thousands
of dollars have been expended on bridge and other constructive works, and at one meeting in
1916 the board of super- visors let a contract for $95,000 worth of work. Mr. Parsons had the
supervision of the Avalon Wharf and the wharf at Cambria, and was also the civil engineer for
the construction of a large number of bridges including the following: Guadaloupe Bridge built
at a cost of $36,000; Paso Robles Bridge, costing $50,000; and the Rector Crossing Bridge,
California Canyon Bridge, San Juan Bridge, Estrella Bridge, Orr's Station Bridge, and others. All
the maps in general and official use in San Luis Obispo County were drawn and made under Mr.
Parson's supervision.
By appointment from the board of supervisors he served eight years as a member of the county
board of education. Part of the time he was president of the board, and the entire work of
granting under certificates was in his hands during that time. Mr. Parsons owns considerable
land at Arroyo Grande and has it leased for the growing of beans and sugar beets. He is
affiliated with Lodge No. 322 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, with the Knights of
Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has been through all the' offices of the
Odd Fellows. He is a very active republican, and has attended a number of party conventions as
a delegate.
Mr. Parsons was married in 1875 in Ohio and took his wife with him to California. Her maiden
name was Laura E. Halliday, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John Halliday, an Ohio farmer.
Mr. and Mrs. Parsons' children are all grown and most of them established in careers of their
own. Guy is employed in a Los Angeles express office. J. N. Parsons is at Manila, Philippine
Islands, and has charge of structural work for the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Construction
Company, the principal steel manufacturing plant in the Philippines. L. R. Parsons is connected
with the San Luis Planing Mill at San Luis Obispo. A. F. Parsons, Jr., is with the Southern Sierras
Power Company at Riverside. Lou E. is a music teacher at San Luis Obispo. Rilla S. is in the
office of the San Luis Obispo Gas Company. Elizabeth E. is the wife of T. 0. Conner, a Southern
Pacific Railway conductor with home at San Francisco.